Jan 26, 2021; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of a puck and the NHL logo and the face-off circle before the game between the Dallas Stars and the Detroit Red Wings at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The Buffalo Sabres selected 6-foot-6 defenseman Owen Power with the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL Draft on Friday night in Secaucus, N.J.
It’s the second time in the past four years the Sabres used the No. 1 pick to select a defenseman. They chose Rasmus Dahlin first overall in 2018.
Power, who turns 19 on Nov. 22, recently completed his freshman year at the University of Michigan, finishing fourth in scoring among Big Ten defensemen (three goals, 13 assists) and making second-team all-conference.
After the Wolverines’ postseason run was cut short by COVID-19 protocols in early March, Power helped Team Canada win gold at the 2021 IIHF World Championship in Latvia.
Power is the fourth NCAA hockey player to be selected first overall, joining Joe Murphy (1986, Michigan State), Rick DiPietro (2000, Boston University) and Erik Johnson (2006, Minnesota).
He’s also just the fourth defenseman selected No. 1 overall in the past 25 years, joining Dahlin, Johnson and Aaron Ekblad (2014).
–Field Level Media